CHENNAI: It is Teachers’ Day and no ‘Guru Utsav’ in schools in Tamil Nadu with the exceptions being far and few. The Education Department is going ahead with preparations for the function to honour teachers, chosen for the best teacher awards around the time the Prime Minister will be addressing school students.
According to officials, the State Government has not received any circular from the Centre on taking stock of the number of schools and students taking part in the Guru Utsav celebrations, which have kicked up a controversy. Some CBSE schools in the city, which have received a message from the Board will beam the PM’s address.
In compliance with the directive from CBSE chairman Vineet Joshi, the schools here have arranged the necessary infrastructure. Stella Pauline, principal of Chennai Public School, said the circular also wanted the count of students attending it. “All students from classes 6 to 12 would be in attendance to listen the PM’s address,” she said. “From 3 pm to 5 pm, all students would be present to witness the web cast,” said authorities at Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan’s School and Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Anna Nagar. “It is not compulsory, but students from classes 9 to 12 have been asked to stay back after 3 pm and necessary arrangements have been made,” said Ajeeth Jain principal of Bhavan’s Rajaji Vidyashram.
But, not all CBSE schools have received the circular. Amudhalakshmi, principal of Chettinad Vidyashram, said although the school had not received any message, interested students could watch the webcast.
As a part of Guru Utsav, the online essay-writing competitions would be conducted as planned. “So far, 15 entries have come from our school,” said a teacher from Padma Seshadri School, Nungambakkam.
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